After a little bit of trial and error I can now share the pattern for a Crochet and a Knit Manga Spirit doll :-) The Spirits are a shade over eight inches tall, and very simple to either knit or crochet. There is a tutorial available on my Flickr site for making their eyes.
You can find the pattern by clicking Crochet or Knit Manga Spirits.
The heads are button jointed to the body, which is a simple and inexpensive way to get a move-able head. Move-able heads are amazing fun to play with and pose. The legs are swing jointed to the body, and feet and hands are very, very simple (or nonexistent, in the case of the feet! Shoes will provide foot definition).
Coming soon will be some clothes, so they don't have to hang around in their birthday suits. Hope you enjoy the knit and crochet!